“Data centers cannot come at a cost to neighbors who are already facing high grocery, gas, utility, health care and housing costs.” – U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-Tampa)
Florida is in the middle of an AI data center boom, and local communities are in the bullseye for harmful impacts on utility costs, water supplies, property values, air quality, and wildlife habitat. These massive facilities can use as much electricity as 100,000 homes and millions of gallons of water a day.
That’s why we are calling for a moratorium on data center development to safeguard our communities against pollution, skyrocketing utility rates, and to protect our Florida way of life.
In Palm Beach County, developers behind the proposed “Project Tango” data center claimed it would use just 5,000 gallons of water a day. County staff proposed allowing water use of up to 100,000 gallons per day, raising serious questions about the project’s true water demand. Commissioners rejected it 5-1. Now, it’s time for statewide protections.
More than a dozen Florida cities and counties, from Sarasota and Lakeland to Washington and Volusia Counties, have passed moratoriums or outright bans on large-scale data centers this year. Local leaders don’t have the tools to evaluate the real impacts on our water, utilities, air quality, and land before these projects are approved. We need the state legislature to take action.
A pause in Florida would allow our policymakers to assess data centers’ cumulative demands on water and electricity, establish responsible siting and transparency standards, protect ratepayers, and ensure local communities have a meaningful voice before new projects are approved.
Thank you for being part of this fight to protect Florida’s communities and our pocketbooks, health, and natural resources from unchecked AI data center development.
From Mark and the Progress Florida team